Albania to deport FETÖ suspect caught en route to Italy

Albanian authorities announced yesterday that they would deport Muhammed Yasir Aydoğmuş, a suspect linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), and his family to Turkey. Aydoğmuş, 39, who is wanted by Turkey, was trying to enter Italy from the Albanian port of Durres with a falsified passport.

Authorities say Aydoğmuş had an international arrest warrant and would be held in detention until the completion of the legal procedure for his extradition.

The suspect was captured over the weekend. He is accused of membership of a terrorist group and allegedly, was one of the suspects controlling the notorious @fuatavni Twitter account. The Twitter account first appeared in February 2014, roughly three months after two coup attempts by FETÖ, which is also blamed for the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. The account, using its sources at key governmental posts, leaked confidential decisions by the government, accompanied with threats, insults and commentaries targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other government officials. It served as an important tool for FETÖ members in manipulating the opposition against the government. Several suspects were already arrested in Turkey for their links to the account and membership of FETÖ.

The terrorist group maintains a worldwide network of schools and companies. FETÖ has the strongest network in Albania, Turkey's ambassador to Albania, Hidayet Bayraktar, said in a recent interview with Anadolu Agency (AA). Chief Prosecutor Adriatik Llala said in May that they believed some of the suspects who participated in the coup attempt are hiding in the country and they were investigating the reports. Erdoğan warned Albania of FETÖ's presence in the country in an interview with the country's Top Channel last summer. Erdoğan called on Albanians not to send their children to FETÖ schools in order to prevent this threat. He mentioned that he had also made the same request to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and President Bujar Nishani, and warned that FETÖ might otherwise become a threat in the country in the future and, then, "it would be too late."